My S500 has almost every safety and convenience feature imaginable, but no rear wiper, something that even cheap hatchbacks have (many sedans in Japan too) Its the first sedan I've owned in decades, and the lack of a rear wiper is really a pain. Its bad enough in the rain but really bad when its snowing. The rear defroster is not designed to melt continuously falling snow, so rear visibility really suffers. Plus the water from the snow that does melt flows into the channel around the trunk and freezes, requiring difficult chipping out to allow the trunk to open and close properly.

My S500 has almost every safety and convenience feature imaginable, but no rear wiper, something that even cheap hatchbacks have (many sedans in Japan too) Its the first sedan I've owned in decades, and the lack of a rear wiper is really a pain. Its bad enough in the rain but really bad when its snowing. The rear defroster is not designed to melt continuously falling snow, so rear visibility really suffers. Plus the water from the snow that does melt flows into the channel around the trunk and freezes, requiring difficult chipping out to allow the trunk to open and close properly.

An interesting view. In my opinion rear window wipers are ugly and make the car cleaning difficult. Those only exist on cars where the rear window gets dirty from the air flow behind, that means wagons and hatchbacks, an MB wagon would have the wiper. I would definitely want to avoid one.

We have every sort of rain too and I've never even used the rear window defroster for other purposes than making the window clear just after parking (outside), never really while driving.

An interesting view. In my opinion rear window wipers are ugly and make the car cleaning difficult. Those only exist on cars where the rear window gets dirty from the air flow behind, that means wagons and hatchbacks, an MB wagon would have the wiper.

I cannot agree with this statement, and I believe that the OP has a good point.

If I get into my coupe with rain drops or snow on the rear window, reversing is quite hazardous. True when driving forwards it soon rolls off, but every time there is a traffic stop the rear visibility is impaired.

M-B stylists could surely engineer a rear wiper that parked itself out of sight.

I cannot agree with this statement, and I believe that the OP has a good point.

If I get into my coupe with rain drops or snow on the rear window, reversing is quite hazardous. True when driving forwards it soon rolls off, but every time there is a traffic stop the rear visibility is impaired.

M-B stylists could surely engineer a rear wiper that parked itself out of sight.

I certainly accept different views. But this is not a coupe car, and which other sedan model of other brands has this rear wiper? Of course an option would be nice, but it would mean a compromise for those who don't want one, reserving the space for that.

If the wiper was made invisible when parked, it would be covered by snow and ice and would not work.

The mechanical and styling feasibility of a rear wiper is probably no big deal. The obvious question is why, then, hasn't MRZ or any other manufacturer done it? I'm sure we aren't the first folks to pose the question. The answer is either a cost one--it's too expensive for the convenience added--or it's a marketing one--there aren't enough consumers asking for it to spend the engineering and styling money to make it. I think the reality is sedan rear windows do not get the air flow backwash from under the car that hatchbacks and wagons do and so they stay more clear in bad weather and less dirty in general than the others. For myself, I find my W220 back glass stays relatively clear if I keep it clean so water flows off it. Too, the wing mirrors provide adequate rearward vision if the back glass is obstructed. Frankly, I've never thought much about it. Maybe there are other issues I'm not considering, but that seems the heart of it to me.

"Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you."--John Steinbeck